Although combination chemotherapy for the treatment of DLBCL patients has been available for several years, currently, over one-half of all patients do not achieve a durable remission (Vose, supra, 1998). Risk stratification of patients has been attempted to identify patients in which more aggressive treatment may be required. One risk stratification approach has involved use of the International Prognostic Index (IPI), which is based upon 5 clinical criteria (The International Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Prognostic Factors Project, N. Engl. J. Med. 32:987-993, 1993). However, the IPI has not provided an accurate prediction of survival in a substantial number of patients.